After a long and cold winter, spring has finally arrived in the small coastal town of Kittiport, Maine. Eleanora Pacelli has been waiting eagerly for the warmer weather; it means that she can finally open the brand new patio attached to the pizzeria.
The new renovation is a hit with her customers, and Ellie is in the middle of a celebratory dinner with the sheriff, Russell Ward, when disaster strikes. A man has been found murdered in his home. Russell has to drop everything in an attempt to solve the case before the killer strikes again.
Meanwhile at the pizzeria, outdoor seating has the desired effect of attracting more business, but that means that the crew at Papa Pacelli's is busier than ever. Ellie makes the difficult decision to hire a new employee, but almost immediately after his arrival notices several suspicious things happening around the restaurant.
Ellie is torn between doing what she can to help Russell solve the mysterious deaths that are plaguing the town, and solving her own problems of mysteriously disappearing cash. She is beginning to wish that spring had never come to Kittiport...